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Juwan Howard signs with Miami Heat for 19th NBA season

Juwan Howard has signed a 10-day contract to return to the Miami Heat.Howard, 40, will be entering his 19th NBA season, the past two were spent with Miami. The Heat elected not to sign Howard before this

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Tim Duncan, left, and Kevin Garnett seemingly have been rivals forever. But they aren't even among the five oldest players in the NBA. Flip through this gallery to see the 15 for the 2013-14 season, including both of these guys.
Ann Heisenfelt, AP

15. Paul Pierce, Brooklyn Nets. Birth date: Oct. 13, 1977. The longtime Celtics star is a future Hall of Famer who finally is showing his age this season for the Nets.
Anthony Gruppuso, USA TODAY Sports

14. Jason Terry, Brooklyn Nets. Birth date: Sept. 15, 1977. Part of the same trade that brought Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce to Brooklyn, Terry has continued in his role as a sixth man.
Anthony Gruppuso, USA TODAY Sports

13. Nazr Mohammed, Chicago Bulls. Birth date: Sept. 5, 1977. The bruising center has been a key reserve for most of his NBA career and continues in that role.
Steve Mitchell Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

12. Manu Ginobili, San Antonio Spurs. Birth date: July 28, 1977. The three-time NBA champion went from the 57th pick of the 1999 draft to a likely Hall of Famer and still is a key player for the undying Spurs.
Russell Isabella, USA TODAY Sports

11. Pablo Prigioni, New York Knicks. Birth date: May 17, 1977. The Argentine guard did not even join the NBA until last season after a great career in Europe and now contributes quite a bit for the Knicks.
Mary Langenfeld, USA TODAY Sports

Tim Duncan, left, and Kevin Garnett seemingly have been rivals forever. But they aren't even among the five oldest players in the NBA. Flip through this gallery to see the 15 for the 2013-14 season, including both of these guys.
Kevin Jairaj, USA TODAY Sports

8. Antawn Jamison, Los Angeles Clippers. Birth date: June 12, 1976. The former All-Star now is resting up early in the season with hopes of getting back on court for the playoffs.
Jayne Kamin-Oncea, USA TODAY Sports

6. Tim Duncan, San Antonio Spurs. Birth date: April 25, 1976. Duncan has graduated from being the best player in the NBA to being the best old player, still extremely efficient even as his minutes have been cut slightly.
Soobum Im, USA TODAY Sports

3. Mike James, Chicago Bulls. Birth date: June 23, 1975. The unbelievably fit point guard took the long way to the NBA the first time and needed a Development League stint to make it back last season.
Matt Marton, USA TODAY Sports

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Juwan Howard was on the floor for the final moments of the win that clinched last season's NBA championship for the Miami Heat.

Turns out, that might not have been his last game as a pro.

The Heat brought Howard back on Saturday, signing the 40-year-old power forward to a 10-day contract. It will be his 19th NBA season, and he's expected to be with the team on Sunday when Miami visits the New York Knicks.

And after the way Heat President Pat Riley described the move, it doesn't appear to be one made just on a whim.

"Juwan is a key part of the championship culture here in Miami," Riley said Saturday in a statement released by the Heat. "He is essential to this team and can still play this game at a high level in some of our biggest games yet to come. He has a unique veteran savvy and will provide leadership and experience to our team."

The Heat did not practice Saturday before gathering to fly to New York.

The move was one that the Heat were considering even last fall. When the Heat won the NBA title — Howard's first ring — he was the first player back to resume workouts at the team practice facility, doing so less than a week after 400,000 fans showed up for the team's championship parade through downtown Miami.

Howard said then that if he played again, it would be in Miami. And when the Heat decided in September to not sign him to the training camp roster, Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said that the club would consider bringing him into the mix later in the season if things worked out.

With an open roster spot and amid a very hectic March schedule — 18 games in all — the Heat apparently decided Saturday was right to make a move.

Howard has played in 1,201 career games, including 85 over the past two seasons with Miami, which originally signed him in July 2010. Heat players like Dwyane Wade and LeBron James both consistently raved about Howard's leadership role in the locker room during his stint with the team, and Howard has been seen at several Miami games this season.

According to STATS LLC, the signing of Howard means Miami has four of the NBA's top 19 active scoring leaders, the others being Ray Allen (No. 5, 23,533 points), James (No. 8, 20, 562 points) and Wade (No. 19, 16,109 points). Howard, for now anyway, is No. 18 on that list, 29 points ahead of Wade.

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